Apple confirmed the report, saying it is excited about what iOS developers will be able to do with “micro-location awareness” for things like museum exhibits and park-trail markers.

The technology uses a version of Bluetooth, a form of wireless close-range communication, that senses when someone is nearby or in a store. Apple could send targeted coupons, messages, in-store directions or videos, among other uses. Apple has been mostly quiet about iBeacon, other than mentioning it during an earlier iOS 7 launch event. The technology came with the latest version of the mobile operating system. The AP writes:

The implications go beyond Apple stores. One day, commuters might get information on subway delays as they stand on the platform, while museum visitors might get details on the painting they are standing in front of. Other retailers, of course, will be also able to offer special deals or track which aisle shoppers spend the most time at.

Location-tracking technology like iBeacon and Near Field Communication, or NFC, is growing, despite concerns raised by privacy advocates. Retailers like the close-range tracking service because it provides a more accurate sense of location than GPS, which doesn’t work well indoors.

Apple isn’t the first company to deploy in-store tracking. Shopkick, a rewards app, already has placed transmitters in Macy's department stores in San Francisco and New York. Major League Baseball is planning to use iBeacon technology in some stadiums. For iBeacon to work in Apple stores, customers must have Bluetooth enabled on their phones and download the Apple Store app.